Football | 9/19/2026 6:45:00 PM
PITTSFORD, NY – The St. John Fisher football team flirted with heartbreak late in the fourth quarter but executed on the game's most important play to escape with a 14-13 win over the University of Rochester on Saturday afternoon at Growney Stadium. The Cardinals improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2019 with the victory, while the Yellowjackets dropped to 1-2. Additionally, Fisher secured its first unbeaten record in non-conference play since 2016.
The Cardinals' offense, which struggled to finish drives throughout, finished with 269 total yards. Senior quarterback Ryan Whitney completed 16-of-25 passes for 166 yards with an interception and a touchdown. He also ran for 50 yards and a score on 21 rushes.
Junior wide receiver Gavin Horton led the Cardinals in receptions (7) and receiving yards (70). Senior wideout Jackson Cusack hauled in six passes for 65 yards and a score.
Rochester quarterback Shawn Bellenger finished 14-of-22 passing for 140 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Running back Cole Raux carried the ball 26 times for 87 yards.
The Cardinals' defense held the Yellowjackets to 225 yards, marking the third straight game that Fisher has limited its opponents to fewer than 260 yards. Senior safety Timothy Vanderbrink made a team-high nine tackles (7 solo, 1.5 for a loss), while sophomore defensive back Colin Clark made two tackles and snagged Fisher's first interception of the year. Senior defensive lineman Jedrek Olkowski matched his career high with five tackles (1.5 for a loss), and junior defensive back Micah Harshfield broke up a pair of passes.
How It Happened
A clean punt on 4th-and-14 with 1:02 left and Rochester out of timeouts likely would have set up a relatively stress-free finish for the Cardinals in front of an alumni weekend crowd. However, matters became tense in a hurry.
A high snap gave Rochester's Michael Murray just enough time to block junior Kieran Patel's attempt near midfield. Drew Strollo recovered the loose ball and returned it 30 yards to the St. John Fisher 20 before being chased down by hustling senior lineman Greg Rayl.
Four plays later, on 3rd-and-goal from the 10, Bellenger fired a touchdown pass to Corey Wang in the back of the end zone to make it 14-13 and set up a massive decision for UR head coach Chad Martinovich with 30 seconds left. Play for the tie and likely force overtime, or go for the win? Martinovich opted for the latter, and Bellenger's pass attempt on the two-point conversion play fell incomplete as multiple Fisher defenders pressured him on the throw.
The Cardinals recovered Rochester's ensuing onside kick attempt and kneeled out the clock to secure the victory.
That breathtaking of an ending didn't appear to be in the cards even just 10 minutes earlier. While the Cardinals' offense hit some rough patches throughout – they came up empty on four drives that ended in UR territory – Fisher led 14-0 until early in the fourth quarter.
After three straight empty drives to start the game, Whitney punctuated a nine-play, 66-yard march with a seven-yard touchdown run to put the Cardinals in front late in the second quarter. A 15-yard Rochester penalty aided that drive, setting St. John Fisher up with a first down inside the Yellowjackets' 30-yard line.
The Cardinals started the second half with the ball and cruised down the field to go ahead by two scores. Whitney completed passes of 11 yards and 13 yards (twice) before a Rochester pass interference infraction got the Cardinals to the 2-yard line. On first-and-goal, Whitney flicked a tap pass to Cusack, who ran around the right side and into the end zone for his second touchdown of the year.
Fisher held Rochester scoreless until the first play of the final quarter, when Bellenger, on 4th-and-19 from the Cardinals' 32, uncorked a beautiful 32-yard strike over a defender to TJ Shifflet, who caught the ball in the end zone while taking a hit.
The score remained 14-7 until the Cardinals had to survive a wild, memorable finish.
Game Notes
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Fisher improved to 12-8 all-time against UR.
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Ed Raby Jr. recorded his tenth win since becoming the head coach last season, making him the fastest coach in program history to reach the 10-win mark.
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This marks Fisher's 11th 3-0 start since 2000.
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The Cardinals have finished unbeaten in conference play for the first time since 2016.
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The Cardinals have now held each of their first three opponents below 260 total yards this season. It's the first time since 2006 that Fisher has limited each of its first three opponents to fewer than 260 total yards.
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The Cardinals continued their third down efficiency, converting 10-of-15 opportunities (66.7%). Fisher entered Saturday ranked seventh nationally at 61.9% on third down and is now 23-of-36 (63.9%) through three games. '
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With a diving interception in the third quarter, Clark now has three interceptions in his career.
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Horton caught seven passes for 70 yards, having now logged at least 70 yards in each game thus far in his junior season.
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Cusack also added six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown today. That score leaves him one receiving touchdown shy of tying for 10th in Fisher history.
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Whitney has now recorded both a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in six career games, including each of Fisher's first three games this season.
Up Next
Fisher will travel to Alfred University to take on the Saxons at noon next Saturday, Sept. 26. The Cardinals have not started 4-0 since 2016.
St. John Fisher Athletics Communications Student Assistant Nic Bakker contributed to this story.